CPT®2012 Update:
Tips Help You Ace Bone Biopsies With Vertebroplasties
Published on Fri Jan 27, 2012
Locate the levels for primary procedure and biopsy. Read in the procedure note if your surgeon did a bone biopsy when doing the vertebroplasty. If the vertebroplasty and biopsy are at the same level, you will not report any additional bone biopsy codes. Look at examples below to strengthen your vertebroplasty reporting. Mark the Change in Code Descriptor(s) The CPT® codes for vertebroplasty have a revision in the code descriptors which clearly specifies that you include the bone biopsy when one is performed. The revisions in code descriptors are as under: 22520 (Percutaneous vertebroplasty [bone biopsy included when performed], 1 vertebral body, unilateral or bilateral injection; thoracic) 22521 (Percutaneous vertebroplasty [bone biopsy included when performed], 1 vertebral body, unilateral or bilateral injection; lumbar) +22522 (Percutaneous vertebroplasty [bone biopsy included when performed], 1 vertebral body, unilateral or bilateral injection; each additional thoracic or lumbar vertebral body [List separately in addition to [...]
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